Transforming the Nations

Landa Cope speaking at YWAM Santo Domingo

Friday morning I got a text from my friend who is a missionary at YWAM (Youth With A Mission) asking me if I could come help setup for a breakfast they were having Saturday morning. I thought it would be nice to go and help out another organization as well as spend some time with my friend and hear the speaker the next morning. That evening I created response cards, set tables and did various other small jobs to assist in getting everything ready for the event.

In the morning I went with two other people to pick up Landa Cope, the featured speaker for the breakfast event (http://www.templateinstitute.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=27). She has been working with YWAM for 40 years and has written several books. Saturday she spoke about her most recent book, The Old Testament Template, which talks about how to create an impact on the world.

Her talk was very intriguing. One of the main points I took out of it was her talking about how in the 80's the Christian majority went to Washington to try to change government and ended up succeeding at doing pretty much nothing in the last 30 years. Its because you don't change the moral fabric of society through laws. Laws reflect the morality of society. Things like abortion are legal because citizens continue to have and want abortions.

We have to start with our own lives, examine ourselves and say, "What am I doing that is not really living for God?" and "How can I live by Christ in all I do?" Psalm 139: 23 and 24 says -- "Search me, O God, and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." We must first deal with our offensive ways. Think about it. If you were observing a church congregation and you saw that the members all fought with each other, gossiped behind one another's backs and the majority of the marriages were failed or failing, would you think that this was a place to find a new and better way to live? But this is how our churches look. We constantly tear each other down, we live in and of the world and we do not look like Jesus. So, why would anyone want to become like us?

It all starts in our homes, first with us and then our families. Each church should be reflecting the love and goodness of God, but it cannot do that until each family is seeking God's will in their lives. Then and only then will the church become a place where unbelievers are attracted to and want to be. Then and only then will the morals of our society change. It starts with you.

He will bless us if we only follow him...

Jeremiah 7:5-7 If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and you do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever.

This is what we are and what we are not...

1 Thesselonians 5:5-11 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But, since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord, Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. THEREFORE, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Wake up church and come back to your God. The Lord wants His people to repent, seek him and turn from their wickedness. Then, will He heal THEIR LAND.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.